NEW WEB ADDRESS- The 2005 annual interagency wolf report [covering
all 2004] can be viewed at
http://westerngraywolf.fws.gov/annualreports . It has maps
of wolf pack locations and home ranges, tables of wolf numbers and
depredations, discussions of litigation and funding issues, summaries of
scientific studies, an extensive bibliography, and additional
informational websites.

Big Game rifle hunting seasons are open in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.
Please remind hunters to report wolf observations or sign of wolves.

The Ada County Sheriff's Office left a message on the 12th,
regarding a radio-collared wolf that was picked up by Idaho Department of
Transportation personnel on the 13th. They saw a dead wolf
laying in the northbound lane of highway 95 just north of New Meadows,
near mile post 167. NPT picked the wolf up at the IDT shop on the 14th
and identified it as B254, a young gray female wolf collared by WS this
past summer near Grassy Mountain, north of McCall. The left side of her
skull and left shoulder appeared crushed, indicating a possible vehicle
strike.

Mack [NPT] observed a total of 58 wolves during a monitoring flight out
of McCall, ID on the 16th. Snow cover made it easier to observe
wolves and counts were obtained on the following packs: Florence- 15 grays
(9-12+ estimated from ground efforts incl. 6-9 pups; an aerial observation
in winter 04/05 also was 15 individuals); Carey Dome- 9 grays (3 from
ground efforts; B257 was observed with 2 others on 2 occasions); Jungle
Ck.- 4 grays (prob. incomplete count; 8-12+ from ground efforts); Golden
Ck.- 1 gray (7 from last flight and visual by Univ. of ID researchers at
Taylor Ranch); Monumental- 14 grays (7-8 based on ground work; this pack
was in the Golden Ck. pack territory); Gold Fork- 4 grays (4 [B130 alpha
female, uncollared mate, and 2 gray pups] from field work); Orphan- none
seen, but B246 was in Gold Fork territory (2nd instance of that); 3 gray +
4 black (min. 4 from ground work; Y239 [disperser from Washakie pack]
founded this pack); B147- 1 gray (2 confirmed from summer, but reports of
as many as 4); and B148- 3 gray (believed lone animal based only on prior
flight information).

An FWS employee [Greg Neudecker] was traveling home on the night of the
16th and came upon the carcass of a male wolf in the middle of
Highway 200, just east of Lincoln, MT. He investigated the scene and
collected the carcass. On the 17th, he met MFWP [Sime] in
Helena and transferred the carcass and FWS LE was also notified. Thanks
Greg for the extra effort! Recently, hunters and landowners have been
reporting up to 8 wolves in the Flescher Pass area which is not very far
away from where the wolf was hit.

On the 8th, MFWP [Reynolds] staff visited the homeowner
outside of Missoula who'd reported a large wolf-like canid harassing his
dogs. The individual had done a good job preserving tracks. They measured
around 2" and were too small to be a wolf. The homeowners now have MFWP
contact information and will call if there are further problems or larger
tracks are found.

On the 16th, a flight found the Teton pack still in the
Upper Green River country which is now full of elk but also cattle.
Hopefully they will return ‘home’ soon. A hunter reported seeing 5 wolves,
one radioed, in Wyoming near the Idaho border, north of Jackson. A flight
found a previously lone radioed wolf in that exact location. Once hunting
season ends volunteers will hike into the area to confirm if a new group
has been established. Unfortunately this area has almost no game in
winter, so it seems unlikely they can form a stable territory.

Yellowstone Park recently reported they couldn’t locate the Delta pack,
so any help regarding wolf reports in the Greater Yellowstone Area could
be very helpful. The Nez Perce and Mollie’s packs are also showing
movements into new areas. Wolf numbers look like they will be down this
year in the Park and there are fewer pups than normal.

Control

MFWP biologist Laudon followed up on the NW MT Fishtrap Pack sheep
depredation. The owners moved their Icelandic sheep into a small pen near
the house to better protect them. The presence of barking dogs is also a
deterrent that would also wake the owner. MFWP determined that the sheep
were protected in a similar manner to a RAG Box and therefore will not use
one at this ranch but the situation is being monitored closely.

On the 15th, acting on a report from a local landowner, WY
WS found and killed all 4 members of a group of wolves that attacked
sheep, near Farson, WY. The 2 black adult [1 male & 1 female], and one
black pup and one gray pup were located and shot from fixed wing aircraft
on the morning of the 16th. One of the adults was a radioed
collared female wolf from the Greybull pack. We didn’t even know she had
left the Meeteetse, WY area, so she must have just dispersed. Pelt color
indicates that the uncollared adult male that was killed could not have
been the alpha male that disappeared from a different 'Farson' pack. Six
pups and the breeding female were killed [4 pups were shot and the
carcasses of the 2 remaining orphaned pups were found later] in that same
area earlier this summer. Control is completed unless further depredations
are confirmed.

On the 16th, the FWS/WS specialist from Cody, WY, using
fixed-wing aircraft shot an adult female and a female sub-adult from the
Carter Mountain pack as part of that ongoing agency control effort. That
pack has been involved in chronic cattle depredations on private land
throughout this summer/fall. Control is completed unless there are further
confirmed depredations.

Research

The annual Yellowstone National Park early winter wolf predation study
began on Nov. 15th. Nine volunteers have been hired. Initial
kill rates appear normal (every third day/pack) and bulls are being taken
again like last year, but it is too early to see if these patterns will
persist.

Coordination to finalize the contract with the Cooperative Research
Unit at Missoula, MT continues. The NPT is searching for a Principal
Investigator. The project funding comes from a Tribal Wildlife Grant that
was awarded to the NPT to study alternative methods for censussing wolves.

Information and Education and Law Enforcement

RCMP in Saskatchewan reported the possible first human death attributed
to wolves in North America in more than a century. The Mounties say wolves
likely killed an Ontario man in northern Saskatchewan earlier this week.
The body of the 22-year-old man was found Tuesday at Points North Landing
near Wollaston Lake, about 450 kilometers northeast of La Ronge. This
incident is being investigated further but at this point it appears
several wolves were involved. This is the same area where a lone wolf
attacked a man this past winter. He managed to grab and hold that wolf
until help arrived from the mining camp. A few wolves were shot after that
incident. At that time the wolves were fairly habituated to people because
they were feeding at a mining camp’s garbage site. After last year’s
incident, the company was working with Canadian wildlife officials to
secure the garbage dump and reduce the potential for conflicts. However,
the wolves are still in regular close contact to the camp and were still
highly habituated to people.

On the 18th, the Idaho Statesman reported that ‘Idaho
Department of Fish and Game is not likely to begin killing wolves [for
excessive predation on wild ungulate herds] anytime soon under new
endangered species act rules, staff biologists and director Steve Huffaker
told commissioners at their regular meeting Thursday.’ IDFG reported that
initial data from a large statewide radio-collared ungulate survival study
indicted adult cow elk survival was high and wolf-caused mortality low.
Previous studies indicated that neonate elk mortality was mainly caused by
bears and lions, not wolves. The IDFG Fish and Wildlife Bureau Chief said
"We're not going to make a political decision, we're going to make a good,
science-based decision," "I don't want anyone to think we're not going to
be objective, but I'm not naive enough to think there won't be different
interpretations."

On the 11th, MFWP Warden Matt Heaton received a report from
hunters that there was a dead black male wolf in the Middle Fork Flathead
River. The carcass was confirmed to be a wolf and was collected for lab
analysis. The matter is under LE investigation. There have been a couple
of very recent reports in this general area. One of which is an
observation of 5 wolves, including one with a radio collar,
harassing/attacking a grizzly bear. This area is also immediately adjacent
to the old Apgar Pack whose status has been unknown since losing the only
radio collar in the pack in September of 2001.

On the 16th, Stacey Courville, Confederated Salish Kootenai
Tribe, and Ted North, MT WS, collected the carcass of wolf # 327 of the
Hog Heaven Pack. The matter is under LE investigation. Her radio collar
was detected on mortality mode on the 14th during a mid-hunting
season monitoring flight.

Jon Trapp (MFWP) gave a presentation to about 25 people for the Lion's
Club in Red Lodge on the 14th. He also gave a presentation to
about 50 people at MSU in Billings on the 15th.

Liz Bradley [MFWP] gave a talk to 25 third-graders at Frenchtown
Elementary on the 18th.

Carter Niemeyer (USFWS), Rick Williamson (ID WS) and Jason Husseman (IDFG)
met with approximately 20 local ranchers and citizens of Leadore, Idaho,
on the 16th to listen to their concerns about wolf sightings in
that region of Idaho and missing cattle during the fall roundup of
livestock. The agency representatives presented information on the 10(j)
wolf management rules, wolf reporting contacts and procedures, protocol to
report wolf depredations and methods of compensation for livestock killed
by wolves. Following the meeting ranchers pointed out on a map where
wolves have been sighted throughout the year. The meeting was very
productive and reduced tensions in the community about wolves.

The Service's weekly wolf report can be viewed at
http://westerngraywolf.fws.gov/
. This report is government public property and can be used for any
purpose. Please distribute as you see fit.